The Truth Obscured
by jozivabellepattersonfan
Summary: A casefic from Ellie's POV, in which a killer is on the loose, rookie mistakes are made, and everything is more complicated than it appears. Set anytime during season 13.
1. Prologue

"Intense feeling too often obscures the truth." - Harry Truman

* * *

Megan Carter thanked the taxi driver, handed over a twenty-dollar bill, and got out of the car. She wasn't right in front of her apartment; there was a garden trail that led to the back entrance that she preferred to use. She lived in a safe part of town, and the trail was lit at night. She wasn't worried.

Humming to herself, Megan pulled out her phone to check Facebook as she walked. Her friend had just had a baby, and the little guy was so cute. She was typing a comment when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Glancing to the left, she didn't see anything. With a shrug, she continued to type. "Jonas looks adorable in that–"

She looked up, and her phone dropped from her hand. A man was standing two feet in front of her. He was so big and stocky that he seemed to take up the whole sidewalk and then some. Megan opened her mouth to scream, but before she could make a sound, he had clamped a firm hand over her mouth. He produced a knife with his other hand and stabbed her twice in the abdomen.

Megan fell, staring at the man, who calmly wiped his blade on her shirt before turning and disappearing into the shadows.

* * *

Hello, everyone! This story came to me much more quickly than I thought it would. I tried to write it episode-style, so we're starting out with an image of the murder. Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 1

Ellie swung the bat, grinning when she connected squarely with the ball and sent it spiraling into the fence. "You sure you don't want to try?" she called over her shoulder, planting her feet for another swing.

"I had enough sports in gym class, thanks." McGee was resting his arms on the fence behind her. "How did you get into this, anyway?"

"I have brothers," she replied. "I spent so much time at the batting cages with them, I was better than most of the guys."

"I don't doubt that." Ellie swung at the next pitch and missed. That was the last one; she started to pick up the balls, and McGee stepped in to help her. "I thought Oklahoma was a football state, mostly."

"It is, but Bishops aren't go-with-the-flow kind of people. My brothers were always baseball all the way."

They had replaced the balls on the machine and Ellie was about to hit "start" when McGee's phone rang. He held out a hand for her to wait as he answered. "Hey, Tony... Okay, we're on our way." He hit "end call" and made a face at Ellie. "I don't think we'll be having those drinks tonight."

"What's up?"

"A Marine's wife was killed outside her apartment."

"All right." Ellie took off her batting helmet and tightened her ponytail. "Can we drop by my apartment on the way so I can grab my gear?" McGee nodded. "Let's go, then." She put the helmet and her bat in her bag and followed him out.

Gibbs was just getting to the scene when they arrived. He nodded to them, and they fell in step together. "Who's the victim?" Tim asked.

"Megan Carter." Gibbs lifted up the crime scene tape, and they all ducked under it. "Lives in that building up ahead." He gestured to a three-story brick complex.

"Her husband?"

"On deployment. DiNozzo's getting in touch with him."

Ellie had been working around dead bodies for a year and a half, but every time she walked up to a murder victim at the scene, she felt queasy. In the morgue it was different; Ducky was there, telling a story, and Jimmy was there with an awkward joke. At the scene, there was nothing to distract her from the reality of the situation.

She forced herself to look at Megan Carter objectively as McGee took some photos. She appeared to be about thirty, with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes that were still open. She was wearing jeans and a cable-knit sweater that had been yellow before the blood colored it brown. Her phone was on the ground in front of her. Snapping on her gloves, Ellie knelt down to examine it.

"Facebook," she said, holding it up for Tim to see. "Looks like she was in the middle of a post."

"I guess social media can kill you," he commented drily, taking the phone with his own gloved hand. He turned it over. "Her case has a pocket with her ID and cards. No cash, but I don't think there'd be room."

"Not a robbery." Gibbs didn't sound surprised. "McGee, interviews. Bishop, photos."

"Yes, boss," they chorused. McGee handed over the camera and went to find the person who had discovered the body. Bishop began to walk in ever-widening circles around the body, first taking pictures of the victim from all angles, then looking for other details: footprints, blood stains, cigarette butts, disturbed plants, things like that. Ellie found very little of interest and was just beginning to wonder where Ducky was when she heard a familiar British accent coming towards her.

"This reminds me of a case I worked back in 1986," he was saying. "It was a night just like this one, chilly but not cold, and the deceased was found in a park. She had hit a squirrel while riding her bike."

"Did she get thrown off?" Jimmy asked.

"Yes, and hit her head in just the wrong place." They came into Ellie's view. Ducky tapped his temple, and Jimmy winced. "Surprisingly enough, the squirrel lived."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously, Mr. Palmer. Ah, hello, Eleanor."

"Hello, Ducky. Hi, Jimmy."

"Who is our victim this evening?"

Ellie led them over to the body. "Megan Carter. Her husband is a Marine on deployment."

"What a tragedy." Ducky shook his head as he knelt down next to the victim. "Young love cut short." With gloved hands he gently lifted up her sweater, revealing two ugly stab wounds. "Eleanor, a photo of these, if you would." Ellie snapped a couple of pictures as Jimmy held a ruler for comparison.

"These wounds are precise, Dr. Mallard," Jimmy said, squinting at them. "The killer knew exactly where and how to stab."

"I agree, Mr. Palmer. She would have bled out within a minute, I'd say."

"Time of death, Duck?" Gibbs had returned from talking with the responding officer.

Ducky stood, dusting off his knees. "Based on rigor, I would guess between 7:30 and 8:30. As always, we'll know more once we return to the morgue. Mr. Palmer, the gurney, please."

"Of course, Doctor." Jimmy left, and Gibbs asked,

"Find anything useful, Bishop?"

"Not really," she admitted. "I didn't see any footprints in the dirt, no plants were stepped on, nothing. It's like the killer was a ghost."

"Not a ghost." Gibbs took a sip from the Styrofoam coffee cup in his hand. "Just smart."

* * *

Sometimes, I write lines of dialogue that I just really like. "Surprisingly, the squirrel lived" is one of those lines. :P Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 2

Tony was on the phone when they returned to the squad room. "Thank you, Colonel," he was saying. "Please let me know when Lieutenant Carter has returned from his patrol." He hung up and put his head in his hands with a groan.

"You haven't gotten hold of Megan Carter's husband?" Tim asked, setting his bag next to his desk and booting up his computer.

"No. It took me an hour just to figure out where he was stationed, because he was moved yesterday and his records hadn't been updated yet. Then, by the time I was able to talk to his commanding officer, he was out on patrol and couldn't be called back."

Ellie pulled open one of her desk drawers, pulling out her laptop and a bag of chips. "Want some?" She held the bag up for Tony's appraisal. He looked it over, then nodded.

"Sure, Bish. Thanks."

She tossed it to him and settled on top of her desk, folding her legs underneath her. "So where is Lieutenant Carter, anyway?"

"Camp Dwyer in–"

"–the Helmand River Valley in Afghanistan, right?" When he raised an eyebrow at her, she explained, "I memorized all of the US military bases."

"When?"

She shrugged. "Last night."

"Of course you did."

The elevator dinged, and Gibbs emerged with Abby on his arm, who was apparently at the end of a story. "…and so Sister Rosita wanted to know if you'd build her a new rocking chair for the nursery."

"Tell her I'll get on it after this case is closed," Gibbs replied. Abby grinned at him.

"Thanks, Gibbs!" She kissed him on the cheek and waved to the rest of the team before turning back, just catching the elevator before the doors closed.

Gibbs took a seat at his desk. "What do we know?" he asked.

Tim got to his feet and grabbed the clicker from Tony's desk. When he pressed the button, Megan Carter's license photo appeared on the plasma. "Megan Carter, thirty years old, current resident of Baltimore, originally from Cleveland."

"Husband is First Lieutenant Felix Carter, stationed at Camp Dwyer in Afghanistan," Tony said. Tim clicked, and Lieutenant Carter's photo appeared beside his wife's. "Still working on contacting him."

"Tell me about Megan," Gibbs ordered, leaning back in his chair.

Ellie put her laptop aside and hopped off of her desk. "She's a manager at a toy store, has been there two years." Tim handed her the clicker, and she hit it several times in a row as she talked. "Went to the University of Ohio, graduated with a general studies degree. Worked in similar jobs in the other places her husband's been stationed. Her family's all back in Ohio, none of them close to Baltimore."

Tim held out his hand, and Ellie gave the clicker back. "She's never gotten so much as a speeding ticket. I haven't taken a look at her financials yet, but her record's clean."

"Try to retrace her steps from her credit card usage," Gibbs said. "Once it hits morning, I want you and Bishop to go talk to her co-workers. Tony, what do you know about Lieutenant Carter?"

"His record's clean, too, boss." Tony read from a print-out as he talked. "Did ROTC at Ohio State, has served on various bases around the US. Afghanistan is his first overseas deployment. He's not the most outstanding Marine, at least on paper, but he's good at his job and clean as a whistle."

Gibbs sighed and stood. "All right. You three keep digging. I'll go see what Ducky's found."

"On it, boss," Tony said. Ellie and Tim nodded, returning to their desks. They worked in silence for a few minutes before Tony's phone rang. "This is very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo... Yes, thank you." He paused for a moment, Tim and Ellie both looking at him. "Lieutenant Carter is back," he mouthed to them.

Ellie got to her feet hurriedly; she hated being around for next-of-kin notifications. "Anyone want some coffee?" she asked. Tony nodded. Tim held up his full mug and smiled at her. She smiled back, grateful that no one looked down on her for her weakness.

She waited for a moment before returning from the break room with two paper mugs in hand. She set one on Tony's desk. His phone was back on the hook, and he was staring out the window into the night. "Did you talk to Lieutenant Carter?"

"Yeah. Not for long, though. He broke down crying when he heard the news."

"How do you do it?" When he looked up at her, she clarified, "Break that kind of news."

He shook his head. "There's not a good way. That was actually easier than usual, though."

"Why?"

"If the husband is here, we have to treat him as a suspect. With Lieutenant Carter deployed, that's not likely, unless we find out their marriage was in trouble."

Ellie winced. "Good point."

"I'm not finding anything, guys," Tim announced, sitting back in his chair. "Her financials are normal, and so are Lieutenant Carter's. Looks like she was at a restaurant last night before she died, so that's something we can check out, but other than that, nothing."

"Nothing?" Gibbs was resting his arms on the cubicle wall behind Tim. They all jumped; none of them had noticed him before he spoke.

"How do you _do_ that?" Tony exclaimed.

"I don't like the sound of 'nothing,'" Gibbs said, as though Tony hadn't spoken. "Anyone got anything?"

"I've got something!"

They peered around, trying to find the source of the voice. Then Tim looked at his screen and grinned. "There you are."

Abby's voice was amused. "Of course I'm here, silly. Come down to my lab, I've got something." She paused. "I don't think you're going to like it, though."

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Here's chapter 2. Thanks to everyone who's been reading! Let's see if I can't get a review or two for my birthday. ;)


	4. Chapter 3

"I have two somethings, actually." Abby clicked her mouse, and a representation of Megan Carter appeared. "First things first. Megan Carter is about five six. Based on the angle of the wounds, I'm going to put her attacker at six four, at least."

Gibbs grunted. "Big guy."

"And that's not all. Based on the force of the stabs, he's about two hundred and fifty pounds." She clicked her mouse again, and a representation of a large, hulking man appeared next to Megan Carter.

" _Very_ big guy," Tony said. "What's the other 'something'?"

"I'm glad you asked." Abby gave him one of her signature smiles before launching into her next spiel. "This is the part I don't think you're going to like."

"Because I _love_ the idea of Fezzik as our killer," Tim muttered. Tony looked at him with approval.

"A _Princess Bride_ reference, very nice, McWestley!"

"Ahem!" Abby crossed her arms.

"What are we not going to like, Abby?" Ellie asked politely. Abby grinned at her.

" _Thank_ you, Ellie. If you will turn your attention to Mrs. Carter's sweater..." Abby moved from her computer to her work table, where the bloody sweater was lying. "Most of this blood is obviously from the stab wounds. However, there are two streaks that don't match that – these two here." She gestured to the sweater, and they all leaned in for a closer look.

"Those look like..." Tony trailed off.

"Like someone was cleaning their blade," Gibbs supplied. "Our killer stabbed her and then wiped off his knife before walking away."

"I told you you wouldn't like it," Abby said.

"What kind of killer cleans his blade on his victim's shirt?" Ellie asked, a shiver running down her spine at the thought.

It was Tim who answered. "A cold-blooded one."

"I have a feeling this won't be the only victim," Tony added soberly.

"Let's find him before that becomes reality." Gibbs kissed Abby on the cheek and led the way back to the elevator, talking as he went. "McGee, Bishop, talk to co-workers. DiNozzo, you're with me."

"Where are we going, boss?"

"To the restaurant that Megan Carter ate at last night. I want to know how she got from the restaurant to that trail."

Tim and Ellie stopped by the squad room to grab their gear before heading to the parking lot. "I'll drive," they said in unison, and grinned at each other. "Rock, paper, scissors?" Tim asked.

"Nah, you can drive," Ellie conceded. "I need to check something anyway."

After buckling her seatbelt, Ellie pulled out her phone and typed out a quick inquiry to an old friend at the FBI. "The wiping the knife on the victim's shirt, that seems like a signature, maybe," she explained to Tim as he drove. "I'm hoping Jess will be able to tell me if she's heard of it before."

"Good thinking," Tim said. Ellie beamed inwardly at the praise.

At the toy store, Ellie thought she had never felt so out of place. It seemed ridiculous for two NCIS agents to be investigating employees who sold teddy bears and plastic phones. After interviewing all of the employees who were present, Tim had to agree.

"None of them strike me as a killer," he admitted as they got back into his car. "And none of them fit the profile that Abby gave us."

"Not even close. The tallest one was five ten."

"Now what?" Tim wondered out loud, putting his car into reverse. "Gibbs and Tony are trying to find her route last night. There was nothing in her financials to research."

"We could check into the two employees who weren't there?" Ellie suggested.

"I guess. I can't help feeling like this isn't going to be helpful, but we have to cover all of our bases. Wait!" Tim switched the car back into park and took his phone from his pocket. "Let's look up our two off-duty employees. If neither of them matches our profile..."

"Then we can cross them off as suspects," Ellie finished. "I'll look up Hernandez, you look up Jacobs."

"On it." It was the work of seconds to find the information, and they looked up at the same time, shaking their heads.

"Not Hernandez," Ellie said.

"Not Jacobs either. All right. Let's get back to–" Tim's phone rang, cutting him off mid-sentence. He showed her the caller ID: Gibbs. "McGee... Okay, we're on our way." He hit "end call" and grimaced at Ellie.

"Another one?"

"Same MO as before," he confirmed. "Let's go."

* * *

Oh no, another one! Thanks to everyone who's been reading and following this story!


	5. Chapter 4

"Victim's name is Cori Fields," Tony said as Tim and Ellie arrived, holding up the tape for them.

"Military connection?" Ellie asked.

"None. And from a brief glance at her record, no connection to Megan Carter, either." They snapped on their gloves as Tony led them to the body. Cori Fields appeared to be in her early twenties; she had brown hair and eyes and was wearing black yoga pants and a tank top that had once been white. "Once again, two stab wounds and streaks that indicate he wiped his blade on her shirt," Tony continued.

"This is a quick turnaround." Tim checked his watch. "Megan Carter was killed around eight last night, and it's just after one now. That's not even 24 hours."

"This is a different scene, too," Ellie put in, looking around at the semi-busy side street of Baltimore. "Same city, but different side of town, different kind of people."

"And in broad daylight, too." Tony groaned. "I really don't like this guy."

"McGee, find security cameras," Gibbs ordered, coming up behind them. "Bishop, interview the guy who found the body. DiNozzo, photos."

"On it, boss," they said in unison. Ellie raised her eyebrows at Gibbs, who jerked his head to the right, towards a man sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. She walked over and knelt down in front of him so she could look at his face.

"I'm Special Agent Bishop," she said gently. "May I ask you a few questions, sir?"

The man flinched a little, then tried to smile at her. "Of course, Agent Bishop. And I'm not a 'sir.' Just Charlie."

"Will you tell me what happened, Charlie?" Ellie's heart went out to him. He couldn't be more than twenty-five, maybe still in college.

"I was walking home from campus," he said, confirming her suspicions. "When I came around the corner, there she was, just... lying there, you know? I thought maybe she had fallen or something, so I went over to see if she was all right, and that's when I saw the, the blood. I called 911, but it was too late." He looked away, blinking quickly to hold back tears.

Ellie put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Was she still bleeding when you found her?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but it... it stopped pretty quickly."

"Did you see anyone else?"

He shook his head. "No, the street was empty except for her."

"Did you hear anything?"

Charlie paused, trying to remember. "No, I don't think so."

"What time was this?"

"Just after noon," he said promptly. "I know because my class got out at noon."

"Had you ever seen the victim before?"

"Not that I remember."

Ellie stood. "Thank you, Charlie. You've been a big help. If you remember anything else, give me a call, okay?" She handed him a business card.

"I will. Thanks, Agent Bishop."

She smiled at him and walked over to where Gibbs was talking with a police officer. He finished his conversation and turned to her. "Anything?"

"He said she was still bleeding when he found her just after noon, so the attack had to have been recent. Other than that, nothing useful."

"He didn't see the attacker?"

"Nope."

Tim rejoined them, holding up a tape. "Hopefully this will have. The bank across the street has security cameras."

"Great. You two, head back and review the footage. DiNozzo and I will finish up here." He didn't wait for their responses, instead going to talk to Ducky, who had just arrived.

Back in the squad room, it took Tim less than a minute to pull up the security footage and find the correct time. "Here's hoping," he said, glancing behind him at Ellie. She held up her crossed fingers. Tim took a deep breath and pressed play.

There was their victim, walking on the sidewalk. Ellie leaned in closer, squinting at the screen. "She's got headphones in," she commented.

A big man stepped out of an alley. He stood in front of Cori for a few seconds, then lunged, putting one hand over her mouth and stabbing her quickly and efficiently with the other. She fell to the ground. He wiped his knife on her shirt, then turned and walked away.

"He went south," Tim said, bringing up area traffic cameras. "Okay, let's see where you went, you bastard... Gotcha." He turned and grinned at Ellie. "He went into a bar, and he's still there."

Ellie grinned back, catching his eagerness. "I'll call Gibbs."

"Tell him to meet you there. I'll stay here, monitor traffic cams in case he leaves."

"Will do." Ellie grabbed her gear and jogged out of the squad room. With any luck, they could catch this guy and actually get some sleep tonight.

* * *

What do you think, is it gonna work? Thanks to everyone for reading!


	6. Chapter 5

As Ellie approached the bar, she got a call from Tim. "Hey, Bishop, got some more information on our Fezzik. His name's Alexander Michaels, and he's been on the run from authorities for two years. He's wanted for assault on his old girlfriend. He beat her with a hammer and broke both of her arms."

Ellie shuddered. "Wonderful."

"His prints have been found at the scenes of two other homicides, both from shortly after he disappeared. The stabbing seems to be new – the other two victims were shot."

"This just keeps getting better and better."

"Where are you?"

"Outside the bar. Gibbs and Tony are on their way – they got held up at the scene."

"All right. Be careful, Bish."

"Will do." Ellie hit "end call" and took a seat on a bench across the street to wait. While she waited, she checked her e-mail. Her FBI friend had sent her a message, saying that the MO was unfamiliar to her. Since they had identified the killer, Ellie wasn't too torn up about it. She was typing out a reply when the door to the bar opened, and Alexander Michaels emerged. He headed down the street in the opposite direction of the crime scene.

Ellie stared after him, trying to decide what to do. Should she follow? Should she wait for the rest of the team? If he went on a street without traffic cameras, they might never find him again. This could be their only chance. He'd evaded the police for two years – he was obviously good at vanishing.

He turned at the next corner, and Ellie knew she couldn't wait any longer. Jumping to her feet, she walked quickly down the sidewalk, trying to look inconspicuous. She turned the corner and slowed her pace when she saw Michaels waiting at a stop sign.

"What kind of murderer follows traffic laws?" she muttered to herself, stopping to look in a store window. When she glanced at him next, he was looking right at her, and she knew she'd been made. "NCIS, freeze!" she shouted, pulling out her gun.

Michaels was unbelievably quick. In one motion he was in front of her, knocking her weapon into the road and pushing her backwards. In the next motion, he had grabbed a woman coming out of a store. She screamed as he stabbed her twice in the abdomen and ran off down an alley.

Gasping for breath, Ellie staggered over to the woman. Pulling off her jacket, she pressed it to her wounds. "You'll be okay, you'll be okay," she told her, though she knew it wasn't true. "Just hold on, you'll be okay..."

"Bishop!" Gibbs and Tony were sprinting towards them. Tony was already on the phone with 911. "Bishop, what happened?"

"I was stupid," she said, more to herself than them. "He went that way." She pointed towards the alley without looking away from the woman. She heard Gibbs take off running. Her mind, always analyzing, was telling her that the amount of blood the woman was losing meant she would be dead in under a minute. Her heart refused to believe it until she saw the light leave the woman's eyes.

Tony knelt down next to Ellie, gently tugging her hands away from her blood-soaked jacket. "I guess you can cancel that ambulance," she mumbled.

She wasn't too clear on what happened after that. Gibbs returned at some point, shaking his head. She got to a bench – she wasn't sure how. Ducky appeared with Jimmy in tow to examine the body of the woman. Ellie didn't want to watch their in-the-field examination, but she found she couldn't look away.

Tony led her by the hand to a car – his, she realized. She sat in the passenger seat and numbly watched as he reached across to buckle her seatbelt. She didn't say a word all the way back to the Navy Yard, and neither did he.

Some time later, Ellie found herself sitting at her desk in the squad room. No one else was there; she vaguely remembered that Tony had dropped her off and returned to the scene with Tim. She was turning her badge over and over in her hands. When she forced herself to look at it, she knew she had made her decision.

Getting to her feet, she walked straight-backed up the stairs and down the hall to Director Vance's office. His door was open. When she knocked, he looked up and raised his eyebrows. "Agent Bishop. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She closed the door and stopped in front of his desk. "The suspect got away today because of me. The latest victim is dead because of me. What happened today is my fault."

"So my report says." He took off his glasses and leaned forward in his chair. "Why are you here?"

"I don't deserve this badge." She placed it on his desk. "I cannot continue working here, knowing I let that woman die."

The director stood, picked up her badge, and walked around his desk to sit at the long table, setting the badge on it. "Take a seat, Agent Bishop." She obeyed. "Tell me exactly what happened today."

"I was waiting for Gibbs and DiNozzo to arrive so we could apprehend the suspect at the bar. Before they arrived, the suspect left the bar and proceeded down the street. I knew he was dangerous – McGee had explained to me what he was capable of. I followed anyway. He made me, I pulled my weapon, he disarmed me, he k–" She stopped and looked up at the ceiling, trying to compose herself. "He killed that woman, and he took off down an alley while I attempted to save the woman."

Director Vance set his hands on the table and looked into Ellie's eyes. "What would you rather be doing right now, Agent Bishop – sitting in here with me, or working with your team to catch this s.o.b.?"

She swallowed hard. "I'd rather be catching him, but I've shown that I don't deserve that privilege, sir."

The director picked up her badge and held it out to her. "You are not the first agent to make a mistake, and you won't be the last. The fact that you admit it puts you above many I've had this conversation with. Put this back on your belt, Agent Bishop, and get back out there."

Slowly, Ellie reached out and took her badge. Standing, she returned it to her belt, taking a moment to make sure it was just so. When she was satisfied, she nodded to the director and left his office.

* * *

I wrote the scene with Director Vance first as a writing exercise. That's how this whole story came into existence - I wanted to come up with the scenario in which Ellie would give up her badge. Let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 6

When Ellie emerged onto the balcony, she saw that her team had returned. Tim was in front of the plasma, explaining something to Gibbs while Tony looked on. She paused for a minute, looking down at them. She would have missed them terribly if she had resigned, although she still felt she deserved it.

Then Gibbs looked up and saw her. "My office, Bishop," he called, heading towards the elevator. Ellie hurried down the steps to join him.

As she expected, once the elevator had started its descent, Gibbs flipped the emergency switch and turned to look at her. "I tried to resign, but the director wouldn't let me," she said quickly before he could speak. "I was stupid, Gibbs. If you want me gone, I'm gone."

He regarded her for a moment. She couldn't read the expression in his eyes. "Rule number five, Bishop."

"'You don't waste good,'" Ellie quoted automatically.

"And rule number forty-five."

"'Clean up your messes.'"

He smiled grimly. "Exactly."

"Are you sure, Gibbs?"

"I wouldn't have you on my team if I wasn't." He clasped her on the shoulder. "We all make mistakes."

Though she tried to hide it, she knew her lip was quivering and her eyes were bright with tears. "My mistake got someone killed."

"And that means you won't forget it." He squeezed her shoulder and let her go, flipping the emergency switch back up. The elevator started again, heading down.

"Where are we going?"

"Abby's lab. She has something for us."

The forensic scientist met them at the elevator doors. She gave Ellie a firm hug before preceding them into her lab. "You might think this is crazy, but Gibbs, I've found a connection."

"Between Megan Carter and Cori Fields?"

"No." Abby paused, her eyes flickering to Ellie. "Between Megan Carter, Cori Fields, and Virginia Davidson."

Gibbs stared at her. "Our victim from today?"

"That's the one."

Ellie's heart started to race. "What is it, Abby?"

"They all had residue on their shoes." She held up a hand when Gibbs opened his mouth. "What kind of residue?" she said in a gruff tone, imitating Gibbs. In her normal voice, she continued, "It's a compound of heavy metals including chromium, arsenic, cadmium, copper–" Switching to Gibbs again, she said, "Get to the point, Abbs!" With a wide smile, she held out a printout of a map. Ellie took it. "The residue is from the Patapsco River. Specifically, the Lower North Branch. All three of the victims had been there in the past three days."

Ellie looked at the map without seeing it. "That means..."

Gibbs turned to her. "That means that Virginia Davidson was targeted, just like the others."

"He was after her the whole time! That's why he was waiting in the bar. He wasn't sitting there idly. He was–"

"Biding his time." Gibbs kissed Abby on the cheek. "Thanks, Abbs." He proceeded to the elevator. Ellie followed, her bad mood gone and replaced with an eager readiness. She may not have directly gotten Virginia Davidson killed, but by God, she was going to get Alexander Michaels for it.

* * *

Because you've gotta have a twist, right? :p Thanks to everyone for reading and to DS2010 for reviewing!


	8. Chapter 7

If you're squeamish, you might want to skip to the end of the chapter...

* * *

They emerged from the elevator, Ellie taking two steps to match one of Gibbs'. "Virginia Davidson was targeted, just like the others," he announced to Tony and Tim. "What do we know about our three victims?"

"Targeted?" they asked in unison, giving Ellie startled looks.

"Abby found residue on all the shoes of all three of them," she explained quickly. "They had all been at the Lower North Branch of the Patapsco River in the last three days."

"They must be connected somehow," Gibbs added. "So. What do we know?"

Tim turned to the plasma, grabbing the clicker from his desk. "Megan Carter was the manager of a toy store. Cori Fields was a fitness instructor. Virginia Davidson was a dental hygienist."

"So the connection isn't work related," Gibbs said. "What else?"

"They lived in different parts of town; they worked in different parts of town. None of them had called or texted each other. They weren't even Facebook friends. I don't know, boss," Tony admitted.

"Did you guys go to the restaurant where Megan Carter was the night she died?" Tim asked.

"Ye-e-es," Tony replied, drawing out the word as he thought. "But we couldn't figure out the timeline. She was at the restaurant, but it took her two hours to get home when it should have taken her twenty minutes."

"That's it!" Ellie exclaimed. "That's got to be when they were all at the river."

Tim sat down at his desk, pulling up a map on the plasma. "Let me see... yes, now that I know what I'm looking for, it's there. Their cell phones all pinged off of a cell tower near the Patapsco." He pressed a button on his keyboard, and a small circle appeared on the map. "That's the area."

"Grab your gear," Gibbs ordered, already on the way to the elevator. "We're going to the river."

When they arrived at the river, Tim checked the map on his phone. "This is the place," he confirmed. "Anywhere within a mile of here."

"Let's split up. McGee, you're with me." Gibbs gestured, and McGee followed him south down the riverbank. Tony gave Ellie a mock bow towards the north. She grinned at him and led the way.

After a few minutes, she realized that he was humming. "What's that song?" she asked. "I know it, but I can't place it."

"I look once more, just around the riverbend," he sang.

"Pocahontas," she grumbled, irritated that she knew it. "The most historically inaccurate–"

"Yeah, yeah," Tony said, waving a hand. "Good music, though."

She was saved from having to agree when they crested a small hill and found... something.

"What is that?" Ellie asked, glancing at Tony. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Me neither."

Cautiously, they padded down the hill until they stood in front of a ten-foot-tall domed building. It appeared to be made out of thin plastic sheets, which were warped and covered in old graffiti. A door was cut out on one side. Ellie and Tony exchanged looks, then peered in.

Ellie leaped back, barely making it out of the vicinity before she vomited up her breakfast. Tony, too, was retching. "Who – what–" For once, he was at a loss for words.

Wiping her mouth, Ellie came back to stand next to him. "If our victims stumbled across this..."

"But why were they here?" Tony asked, turning away from the pile of brutally killed animals. Some of their legs had been sawed off; some of their heads had been dissected; many of them looked like they had been there for months, while the body of a fox was obviously only a day or two old. The cold had kept the vile scent from their noses until they were right on top of it. "What were a toy store manager, a fitness instructor, and a dental hygienist doing here at the same time? It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke."

"DiNozzo! Bishop!" They looked up to see Gibbs and Tim at the top of the hill. "What did you find?"

"Brace yourselves," Tony warned, motioning to the domed building. "It's a doozy."

Their teammates came down the hill. Tim took only a brief look before stepping back in a hurry. Gibbs was made of sturdier stock; he held his breath and entered the building, examining the pile of animals more closely. When he emerged, even his face was slightly green. "I'll take the photos," he said, holding out his hand for the camera. "You three fan out, look for footprints, broken branches, anything. And be careful."

"On it, boss," Tony replied. Ellie handed over the camera with considerable relief.

After thirty minutes of finding nothing in her chosen direction, Ellie turned back. She expected to find a crime scene unit in place, but she found only Gibbs, sitting a dozen feet away from the building with his back to a tree. Ellie sat next to him. "I didn't see anything suspicious," she said.

Tim and Tony came into the clearing at the same time, shaking their heads. Gibbs groaned. "What did you call them, DiNozzo – campfires?" Tony blinked, then nodded. "Everyone in, then. Campfire." Tim and Tony sat opposite Ellie and Gibbs, forming a rough circle.

"So we've got Alexander Michaels," Gibbs began. "He killed Megan Carter, Cori Fields, and Virginia Davidson."

"After they were all in this area – presumably right here," Tony said.

"But why were they here?" Ellie asked.

"It can't be coincidence that they were all here at the same time," Tim put in. "But we found no connection between them. Not work, family, friends, location, anything. The only connections are that Michaels killed them and they were all here last night."

"But we haven't really investigated yet," Ellie said slowly. Three heads swiveled to stare at her.

"What do you mean, Bishop?" Gibbs asked.

"Normally, when we start an investigation, we talk to the victim's friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, et cetera. But so far, we've only been able to do that with Megan Carter. The other two happened in such quick succession that we haven't looked into their lives yet."

"So you're saying we should take a step back," Tony said, nodding. "Go back to the basics."

"Yeah." Ellie looked back at the building and shuddered. "I think we've been so distracted by the weird parts of this case–"

"–that we haven't covered all of our bases," Tim finished. "Good point, Bish."

"That sounds like a starting point." Gibbs got to his feet. "DiNozzo, McGee, I want you two to stay here. Stake out the building in case Michaels comes back. Meanwhile, Bishop and I will look into the lives of Fields and Davidson."

* * *

The more we learn about Michaels, the less we like him. Thanks to everyone for reading, and to DS2010 for reviewing!


	9. Chapter 8

Talking to family, friends, and co-workers turned out to be a bust. By the time they returned to the Navy Yard, it was nearly ten PM, and Ellie was beat. "Don't go home, but get some sleep," Gibbs told her, not unkindly. "We'll relieve the others at two."

She wasn't about to argue. She was on her way down to Abby's lab to snag a pillow and blanket when something hit her.

They hadn't checked the victims' homes yet. There could be clues there.

Back up she went. Gibbs was heavy-eyed, but he listened to her idea without complaint. "In the morning, Bishop," he said. "Get some rest."

To her surprise, Abby was still in her lab, staring glumly at her computer screen. "I couldn't go home, knowing you guys were out there," she said. "Want a pillow?"

Ellie shook her head, pulling up a chair next to Abby's. "What are you doing?"

Abby gave her a look. " _You're_ supposed to be resting."

"So are you. What're you doing?"

"Looking into our victims' lives. There has to be something we're missing."

"We talked to family, friends, and co-workers, and there was nothing." Ellie propped her chin up on one hand. "I don't know, Abby."

"Maybe there's not a connection. Sometimes, the victims are chosen at random." Abby sat up straighter. "Maybe we should stop looking at the victims, and start looking at the river."

Ellie shuddered. "I would really rather not look at that river anymore."

"I get that. But what were they all doing there?"

A sudden thought made the hairs on the back of Ellie's neck stand on end. "Can you pull up the cell tower map again?"

"Why?" She didn't wait for a reply, but pulled up the map. "What are we looking for?"

"Were those three cell phones the only ones in the area at that time?"

Abby clicked her mouse a couple of times. Then her face paled. "No. There were two more. One of them is unregistered – that's probably Michaels..."

"And the other one?"

"Jessica Newton." Abby turned to face Ellie, eyes wide. "You have to tell Gibbs. Now."

"Tell me what?"

Abby and Ellie jumped. Gibbs was leaning against the door frame, raising his eyebrows at them. "There might be another target," Ellie said quickly. "Jessica Newton. She was at the river at the same time the others were."

Abby scribbled something on a notecard and held it out. "Her address." Gibbs took the notecard and beckoned to Ellie.

"Let's go."

Jessica Newton lived in a small townhouse on the outskirts of Baltimore. Gibbs switched off the headlights as they approached. "The odds are that Michaels is here, or he's been and gone," he said, parking down the street. "We go in together. I'll clear one room, you clear the next. The most important thing is stealth. Got it?"

"Got it, Gibbs." She would have been annoyed that he was re-teaching her the basics, but extra reminders when dealing with dangerous sociopaths never hurt anyone.

He had to be a sociopath, she thought as they crept up to the front door. There was no other explanation. Somehow, he must have lured the victims there. They didn't seem to be on their guard – all of them had been surprised when he attacked them – so he hadn't appeared threatening. Obviously he hadn't shown them what was in the building. He had to be able to act normally around them when he wanted to, and when he didn't want to anymore, he killed them.

Quietly, Gibbs picked the lock and pushed open the door. Ellie followed him through it. The townhouse was long but not wide; the first floor was an open-concept living room/eat-in kitchen combination with few places to hide. Gibbs checked the bathroom while Ellie checked behind the kitchen island. They shook their heads at each other, and Gibbs pointed up.

The second story had two bedrooms and a bathroom. Gibbs was gesturing to the first room when they heard a muffled scream from the second. Ellie ran to open the door, but before she got to it, it burst open and a woman was hurled to the floor.

Ellie threw herself on top of her in an instant, shielding the woman with her body, trusting in her vest and her boss to keep them both safe. She heard Gibbs yell "NCIS, freeze!" from right above her. "Get her out of here," he ordered Ellie.

She obeyed, grabbing the woman's arm and dragging her down the hall, being careful to keep herself between Jessica Newton and danger. When they were on the stairs, Ellie straightened, pulling Jessica to her feet. "Run, run," she urged. "Come on!"

As they made it to the first floor, they heard three shots in rapid succession, then silence.

* * *

I think they found him, guys. Thanks to everyone for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing, especially CurlyGirl123!


	10. Chapter 9

Ellie put Jessica Newton in the backseat of the car, ordering her to stay down, stay quiet, and call 911. She locked the doors, then ran back down the street to the townhouse. The need for stealth was past. What Ellie needed now was to know the status of her boss.

She forced herself to slow as she reached the top of the stairs. Keeping her weapon at her side, she glanced around the corner.

Nothing.

She took a deep breath, then turned the corner with her weapon up. Knowing Gibbs would want her to be thorough, she checked the first bedroom, then the bathroom, before proceeding to the second bedroom. There she found two bodies.

Alexander Michaels was slumped face first on the bed, knife still in his hand. Three bullet holes riddled his back. Gibbs was on his side on the floor. She took the knife from Michaels' hand, just in case, then knelt next to her boss.

The stab wounds were there, just as she had feared. He must have managed to shoot Michaels before he succumbed to his injuries. She put a trembling finger to the veins in his neck, feeling for a pulse, hoping against hope to feel something.

Just as she felt a nudge on her finger, Gibbs groaned softly.

"Gibbs!" She tore at his shirt, finding his vest underneath. It had taken the majority of the hits, although she could see that the knife had gone through and penetrated about half an inch into his stomach. She went to take off her jacket and realized with some irritation that she hadn't put on a new one after Virginia Davidson was killed earlier that day. Growling with annoyance, she grabbed a blanket from the bed and pressed it to Gibbs' side to slow the bleeding.

"Newton," Gibbs gasped, rolling onto his back.

"Safe," she replied. Sirens blared outside at last. "An ambulance is on its way."

"Good." He pushed himself into a sitting position, ignoring Ellie's protests. "Call the others."

"Yes, boss."

"And Bishop?" His eyes caught and held hers. "Good job."

Ellie knew she would remember that moment forever.

Tony and Tim arrived an hour later to find Gibbs sitting on the back of an ambulance, with Ellie and the EMTs trying to convince him to go to the hospital. "Will you tell him?" she asked without turning around.

"Eyes on the back of your head, eh? Useful skill," Tony commented, coming to stand next to her. "Hospital, boss. We're fine here."

Gibbs glared at him. "I'm hardly hurt–"

"Do you want an infection?" one of the EMTs asked, scowling at Gibbs. "Because if you do, we'll leave."

In the end, it was the threat to call Abby that made Gibbs go to the hospital. Once the ambulance pulled away, Tony and Tim turned to Ellie. "Tell us everything," they demanded in unison.

"It all started with Jessica Newton," she said, walking back towards the house. She really needed to sit down. "She said Michaels just started talking to her on the bus one day. He seemed nice, they started dating, he always treated her with the utmost respect."

"When was this?" Tim interrupted.

"Six months ago. Everything was normal until two nights ago, when he asked her to meet him by the river. She went, and discovered that he had also invited three other women. He insisted that they were just old friends of his, but she was suspicious." They entered the house and took seats around the kitchen island. "Well, maybe 'suspicious' isn't the right word," Ellie admitted. "'Confused' is probably more accurate.'"

"So what happened?" Tony asked.

"Michaels had brought beers for everyone, and they just hung out on the riverbank, watching the fireflies and drinking. Newton said it was actually kind of fun, in a strange way. Then Michaels abruptly said he had to leave. Once he left, the group broke up." Ellie paused. "It all sounds so strange, but I guess Newton was blinded by her feelings for Michaels. She thought everyone was fine until she heard on the news this morning that Megan Carter had been killed. She tried calling Michaels, but he didn't pick up. She thought she was maybe just being paranoid until Michaels showed up here two hours ago. He told her very clearly what he had done to Carter, Fields, and Davidson, and said that he wanted to have a little bit more fun with her. He was punching her around a little, using the hilt of the knife, when we showed up."

For a few minutes, no one spoke. Then Ellie yawned. Tony laughed. "Tired, Bish?"

"Shut up."

"Go home," he told her. "Both of you," he said, looking at Tim. "I'll finish up here and go to the hospital."

"You sure, Tony?" Tim asked.

"I'm sure, McJuniorFieldAgent. Get some rest."

Since Ellie hadn't driven to the townhouse, she hitched a ride with McGee. They were almost to her apartment when she said quietly, "Tim?"

"Yeah?"

"Would Delilah mind if I crashed on your couch?" She didn't want to be alone after such a long, draining, terrifying day.

He glanced at her and smiled. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind at all."

* * *

Just the epilogue left! Thanks to everyone for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing, especially DS2010 and smush68!


	11. Epilogue

The next day, after Gibbs was released from the hospital, he banished them from the Navy Yard. "I'll see you on Monday," he told them firmly. "Go home."

Ellie tried, she really did. She tinkered around her house, washing stray dishes and doing laundry, but she didn't really like being home without Jake. It didn't feel right, and after this kind of case, being alone was stressful. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw one of two things: Virginia Davidson on the sidewalk, or the pile of tortured animals. She thought about calling Tim and Tony to see if they wanted to finally get those drinks, but she didn't want to disturb them if they were asleep.

Finally, she gave up and went to Gibbs' house. He was in the basement, of course, a mason jar of bourbon close at hand as he carefully measured and marked pieces of wood. "Hello, Bishop," he said without looking away.

She sat on the bottom stair. "What are you working on?"

"The rocking chair for Sister Rosita," he replied. For a few minutes, Ellie watched him work. His quiet focus was calming.

"Why are you here, Bishop?"

Ellie ran her hands through her hair and sighed. "I really thought I'd gotten her killed, Gibbs."

"You didn't."

"I didn't protect her, either."

Gibbs set his pencil down and turned to look at her. "You protected Jessica Newton. She'd be dead if you hadn't figured out Michaels' next target." When Ellie didn't reply, he continued, "You did what you were supposed to do. You might have been able to save Virginia Davidson, but then again, you might not have. Focus on what you did, not on what you were unable to do."

"I'll try."

He turned back to the wood and picked up his pencil. "Come here and hold this for me," he instructed Ellie. "I could use an extra pair of hands." Ellie obeyed. For hours, she helped him measure, cut, and shape the wood until she fell asleep on the stairs. In the safety of her boss's house, she slept without dreaming.

* * *

And there you have it, folks. What do you think? How were my characterizations? Did the story flow? Thanks to everyone who read, followed, favorited, and reviewed, especially DS2010 and smush68!


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